To grow up into Christ
Ephesians 4:15 KJV “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15 “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ.” (Gideon Bible)
This growing up spiritually, is not like growing in age, like from 8 to 20. But it is growing up….into Christ.
When I was a little girl, my mother would often buy a dress for my sister, with the idea that as I grew older and bigger, I too, would be able to wear it, when she outgrew it. It was there, ready when I was big enough for it.
This growing up into Christ is the same idea. We are “in Christ” the moment we are born again (praise God for His marvelous gift)..And we are given peace with God….
……but we grow up in Christ as we set aside our childish views and opinions….and take on HIs views of things and His attitude toward everything. Being formed into His character….taking on the family resemblance….God’s family resemblance.
We “grow” into more and more of what He has for us. We “grow” more and more like Him. It is there for us, as we grow.
This is not attained in a moment,…or even in our surrender to it…though that is important…
…but we need to see ourselves as children that needs to grow up….in this attitude,…and then in that feeling.
The onward walk of a Christian, is usually upward….into higher and harder battles. Into higher and harder victories. For the victory that is the hardest, is usually over ourselves and the way we feel or think….in these circumstances.
Ephesians 4:13-15 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:”
When we grow up in Christ…..we acknowledge and confess we are responsible for our actions. We no longer excuse ourselves, or our sin….we confess and seek cleansing from ourselves, and our sin.
Ephesians 4:13-15 “Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the head, into Christ,” (Gideon Bible)
We are to “grow up…in every way” into Christ.
First, we are to “attain to the unity of the faith”. Faith is singular, it looks to God….and as we grow and mature…we, too, look to God in every situation. Here is a unity that is stabilizing….I see what is happening all around….but it’s influence is second, because God is in control in my life. What a foundation!
Second, “knowledge of the Son of God”. When we are born again we know that Jesus Christ the Lord is the Son of God.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
But as we grow, we recognize and gain knowledge of the Son of God in His character. The character that is to grow in us.
There is “knowledge” of the mind and understanding. You read the Bible and see the Lord, believing what you read. The Holy Spirit can take that knowledge and turn it into “knowledge by experience” in the circumstances in which we are….which gives you strength to face what is next. The Lord’s faithfulness, He is Truth, His all-sufficiency…this is knowledge we need to see us through our lives.
Third, “to mature manhood”. An adult in Christ walks through this world….not with “I want, I want, I want” in his heart; but with a loose hand on the things he has,…and a firm grasp on the promises of God.
For he looks beyond this moment of time…(for children are all about “now”)….and sees that God’s Purpose has a time and a way….maybe now, and maybe after we wait on Him.
With the Holy Spirit within, we are given a member of the Godhead to show us….ourselves, others, and things to come. We are often warned in the spirit. He is the one to show us His Word, and what it means to us….and we yield to what He shows us.
Growing up in Christ….we are also given courage….and a strength to finish the work,….to give to God all the glory,….to stand with the Lord in the face of trouble.
Fourth, “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
(I find it interesting that the Spirit uses the term…”stature”. Mom used to put markers on the side of our kitchen door as to our height, year after year. How much we had grown taller. And this is what this means….there are markers for our growth in Christ.)
Do we forgive? Christ forgave the very ones who crucified Him. Luke 23:34
Do we speak of the kingdom of God? Christ preached that the kingdom of God was at hand. Mark 1:14-15
Do we seek to do good to those we come into contact with? Jesus went about doing good to all.
Do we seek to disciple those who want to know more about Jesus? He spoke often to His disciples the full meaning of the scriptures…because they wanted to know. Luke 8:9-10
Do we pray for those we know…who the Lord has laid on our hearts? Jesus spent many nights in prayer for the work of God, for His disciples, for Peter (Luke 22:31-32)
Do we love the Lord more today than yesterday, last week, last year? John 14:15
And now,….how do we grow up?
The most important thing in growing up is to stay with the Lord….no matter what we are going through.
Believing and trusting, that He loves us, and will guide us through, even in the midst of the Valley of the Shadow of death.
The disciples saw,…and experienced miracles for themselves and others.
Yet they also experienced storms…so bad, they thought they were going to die.
They experienced the authority of the name of Christ Jesus as they went out into cities before Jesus.
Yet they also experienced failure, when they could not heal a demonic boy…and had to wait for the Lord to do it. Mark 9:18
Peter declared his belief that Jesus was the Son of God,….yet later denied Him three times, to save himself.
They all fled from being arrested…..yet all returned to Him, in confession of belief and in obedience,…..waiting for the Spirit’s coming.
This is growing up in every way…..whatever comes to us, comes by the Lord’s Will…and we willingly yield to it….and learn from it….letting the Holy Spirit lead us into a more fuller life with Christ.
And when we grow up into Christ….we can be fully used,…. be fully owned by Christ as full grown sons of God….and blessed in our doing.
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 